Containers and closures therefor



June 2, 1964 l. A. LESLIE CONTAINERS AND CLOSURES THEREFOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 25, 1962 INA/mm? lmr/ Aux/woe: 15:4 I!

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l. A. LESLIE CONTAINERS AND CLOSURES THEREFOR June 2, 1964 Filed June 25, 62

June 2, 1964 l. A. LESLIE 3,135,439

CONTAINERS AND CLOSURES THEREFOR Filed June 25, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 /ww ALEXA/van ZESL 15 H T T95.

United States Patent CONTAINERS AND CLOSURES THEREFOR Ivan Alexander Leslie, Bilston, Engiand, assiguor to Joseph Sankey & Sons Limited, Bilston, England, a company of Great Britain 7 Filed June 25, 1962, Ser. No. 204,822 Claims priority, application Great Britain June 26, 1961 13 Ciairns. (Cl. 222-464) This invention relates to containers or closures therefor.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a closure unit for a container comprising a valve body adapted to be secured to a container and having a first duct therein, a tubular valve member having a second duct therethrough and adapted to close off the first duct, a hollow tube which is adapted to extend a substantial distance into the container and which sealably receives the utbular member in such a way that the bore of the tube forms a continuation of the second duct, first spring means acting on the tube urging it against the tubular valve member and thereby urging the tubular valve member into its sealing position, a second valve member, and a second spring means urging the second valve member to shut off the second duct.

Preferably the tubular valve member is formed with a step intermediate its length and the tube is provided with a flange at one end which rests on the step the first spring means acting on the said flange. Preferably the tube is expanded to receive the tubular valve member.

Preferably part of the tubular valve member is formed with a seating for a second valve member. Preferably the Valve body constitutes a seating for the tubular valve member. Preferably the, one of 'the, or both the seating(s) is/ are a spherical seating ie it is of the shape of a portion of a sphere between two parallel planes on one side of a plane of symmetry.

The second spring means preferably acts between an abutment on the tube and the second valve member and is weaker than the first spring means. The closure unit preferably further comprises a cup member fixed relative to the valve body, the base of the cup constituting an abutment for the first spring means.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided the combination of a container having an opening therein with a closure unit as set out above in the opening.

The combination preferably further comprises interengaging means whereby the said closure unit can be releasably secured to the container, and locking means engaging the said closure unit to prevent the latter from so moving as to disengage the said inter-engaging means. The locking means may comprise a locking member connected to the container and engaging the said closure unit so as to prevent movement of the closure unit as aforesaid.

A number of embodiments will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan of a top pressing for covering one end of a barrel, which top pressing has a locking ring screwed thereto;

FIGURE 2 is a section on line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a section through an embodiment of the invention incorporating a top pressing shown in FIG- URES l and 2, the section being taken on line 3-3 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 4 is an outside view of the embodiment of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view of details of FIGURE 3; I

FIGURE 6 is a side view of a spring retaining cup incorporated in the embodiment of FIGURE 3;

3,135,439 Patented dune 2, 1964 FIGURE 7 is a section through another embodiment of the invention incorporating a top pressing as shown in FIGURES l and 2 the section being taken on line 7-7 of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 8 is an outside view of the embodiment of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is an outside view of the closure member used in the embodiment of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 10 is an outside view of a spring retaining cap used in the embodiment of FIGURE 7; and

FIGURE 11 is a section through a modified embodiment of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, a container (not shown in full) for containing beer or other beverage together with a gas or vapour under pressure is of cylindrical barrel shape and is formed from stainless steel. The container has a dished top pressing 11 which is provided with a central aperture 12 (see FIGURE 1). The aperture 12 isenlarged by three equispaced cutouts 13 each subtending about 60 at the centre of the aperture. A rim 14 surrounding the aperture extends inwardly of the pressing 11. This rim 14 is provided with three enlarged portions 15 which are equispaced around the periphery of the aperture 12 and underlie the surround of the aperture 12 between the cutaways 13. The inwardly facing edges 16 of these enlarged portions 15 are inclined to the plane normal to the axis 17 of the aperture.

Surrounding the aperture 12 is a concentric locking ring 18 which is spot welded to the container 11. The locking ring 18 is provided with three upwardly projecting spring tongues 19 which are equispaced one from the other. These tongues 19, which subtend approximately 30 at the centre of the locking ring, all incline upwardly in the same direction relative to a plane which is normal to the axis of the aperture 17 and the inclination of the tongues 19 to the said plane is greater than, and in the opposite direction to, the inclination of the edges 16 of the enlarged rim parts 15.

The aperture 12 is provided with an apertured closure member 21 (see FIGURES 3 and 4). The aperture 23 in this closure element has an enlarged diameter outer portion 24, a mid-portion 25 of smaller diameter and an inner portion 26 leading from the mid-portion 25 having an arcuate wall (see FIGURE 5) to provide a valve seating as will be hereinafter described. On its inner face 27 the closure member 21 is provided with three T section lugs 28 arranged on a pitch circle centered on the axis of the closure member 21 and located so as to be able to enter the container through the cutouts 13. The height ofthe cross piece 29 of the T on the radially outer side of each lug 28 is such that the enlarged rim portion 15 can engage against the under surface 31 of this cross piece 29 and to improve cooperation betwen these parts the said underside 31 of the cross piece 29 of the T is also inclined to a plane normal to the axis of the' closure member by an inclination similar to the inner edges 1d of the enlarged rim pieces 15.

The closure member 21 is provided with an outer flange 32 which has an outer diameter which is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the locking ring 18. The underface of the flange 32 is recessed near its periphery at 30. The flange 32 is also provided with three rebates 33 which are of slightly greater peripheral length than the length of the locking tongues 19. An annular groove 34 on the inner face 27 of the closure member 21 contains a sealing ring 35 so that there is a gas and liquid tight joint between the closure member 21 and the container 11.

The closure member 21 is attached to the container 11 as follows: With the sealing ring 35 in position in the annular groove 34-, the three lugs 28 are inserted into the cutouts 13 around the aperture 12 in the top pressing 11 and the closure member 21 is then rotated until the edges 16 of the enlarged rim members 35 engage the corresponding under surfaces 31 of the lugs 28. On further rotation of the closure member 21 relative to the container 11, due to the inclination of the coacting faces 16 and 31 of the enlarged rim portion and the cross piece 29' of the lugs 28, the closure member 21 is drawn tightly against the container 11 and sealing ring 35. During this rotation more and more of the tongues 19 (from their portions connected to the sealing ring) are exposed in rebates 33 in the flange 32. When the closure member 21 has been drawn sufliciently tightly against the container 11 so that the sealing ring 35 ensures that there is a gas and liquid tight joint therebetween, the whole of the spring tongues 19 will be exposed under the rebate 33 and these tongues will then be able to spring upwardly into the rebates so that their free edges abut against the facing edges of the rebates as shown in FIGURE 1 and return rotation of the closure member 27 relative to the container 11 is prevented. At the same time the closure member 27 is prevented from continued rotation in the locking direction due to the fact that it is now jammed against the container 11. The closure mem er 21 is thus securely attaohed to the container 11.

To remove the closure member 21 from the container 11 a special tool (not shown) is provided which is used to force the spring tongues 19 down flat against the container 1.1 and to hold these tongues 19 in position while the closure element 21 is moved in the return direction. It is only necessary to hold the spring tongues 19 down for a short degree of rotation of the closure member 21 because as soon as the under surface of he flange 32 covers the free ends of the tongues the flange will itself hold the tongues in their depressed position.

The inner portion 46 of the cross piece 29 is shorter than the outer portion and engages in recesses 41 in outwardly directed lugs 42 of a thin metal spring retaining cup 43 (see FIGURE 6). This cup 43 has three tapered wall portions 44 leading to a centrally apertured base 45. A delivery tube 46 (see FIGURE 3) passes through the aperture 4'7 in the base 45. The inner end of the delivery tube extends to the bottom of the container 11, and is cut at an oblique angle to the axis of the tube. The outer end 48 of this tube 46 is expanded and terminates in a flange 59. The expanded part of the tube 46 securely receives the smaller outer diameter portion of a hollow metal valve member 49. The valve member is stepped up at 6%) to a larger diameter portion 51 which is generally of frusto conical shape and which contains a rubber O ring 52 in a peripheral groove 53 (see FIGURE 5). A spring 153 acting between the base of the cup 43 and the flange 56 of the tube 46, which lies flush with the step 6%) of the valve element, urges the valve member 49 and tube 46 towards the closure member 21 so that the O ring 52 seats tightly against the spherical valve seating 26 thus providing a gas tight seal therewith.

The inner end portion 54 of the bore of the valve member 49 is shaped similarly to the portion 26 of the closure member to form a spherical seating for a second valve member 55 contained within the tube 46. This valve member 55 is provided with an enlarged head 56 the forward portion of which is tapered similarly to the tapered portion of the first valve member and is grooved to receive a sealing ring 53. A spring 63 of less strength than spring 53 extends between the under surface of the head 56 of the second valve member 55 and a turned in rim 59 in the tube and urges the second valve member 55 into engagement with the spherical seating 54 so as to form a liquid, tight seal therewith.

In the embodiment shown in FIGURE 7 most of the parts are substantially the same as the corresponding parts in the first described embodiment with a spring 71 acting on a flange 72 at the expanded end of a delivery tube 73, which flange '72 rests on a step 74 of the valve member 75. The closure member 61 is however slightly modified. The lugs 62 are L shape in section. Small radially inwardly directed projections 63 are formed centrally on the L shaped lugs 62. The rebates 64 are not as long as the tongues 19 of the locking rings 18 but are merely sutficiently long to permit the ingress of the opening tool. Stops 65 extend across the recess 66 on the under surface of the flange of the closure member 61 to abut against the ends of the tongues 19 (as shown in FIGURE 8) when in the locked position. The spring retaining cup 67 is cylindrical and has three bayonet slots 68 in its side wall. These bayonet slots 68 releasably receive the inwardly projecting projections 63 of the L section lugs 62 to secure the retaining cup 67 to the closure member 61. The walls of the cylindrical retaining cup 67 also have a number of gas escape ports 69 to allow free flow of gas from the container into the spring retaining cup 67 and through the valve when the latter is open.

The embodiment of FIGURE 11 is substantially the same as that of FIGURE 7. In this former embodiment there is provided again, a delivery tube 73 having an expanded end which receives a valve member 75 that is stepped at 74. The end of the expanded part of the delivery tube 73 has a flange 72 which lies against the step 74 and against which the closure spring 71 acts. The closure member 81 is however similar in form to the bush 122 described in the aforementioned copending patent application Serial No. 185,481 filed April 5, 1962 in the name A. R. T. Barnes and assigned to instant assignee. However, instead of the internal screw-threads, the bush 81 is provided with inwardly projecting projections 32 to secure the retaining cup 76 to the bush 81. This bush 81 is externally screw-threaded at 33 so that it may be secured to correspondingly threaded aperture of a container.

The closure units above described may be used with tapping heads which may be similar to those described in the aforesaid copcnding application Serial No. 185,481.

The invention is not limited to the precise constructional details hereinbefore described and illustrated in the rawings.

I claim:

1; A closure unit for a container comprising:

(a) a main valve body having a main passage therethrough and a main valve seat around the main passage,

(b) a main valve member seating on the main valve seat, the said main valve member having an abutment surface remote from the main valve, and also having a conduit therethrough and a valve seating around the conduit,

(0) a secondary valve member resiliently urged against the valve seat,

((1) a hollow down pipe for extending a suitable distance into the container, the said down pipe sealably but releasably receiving the main valve member and being provided with a flange abutting the abutment surface,

(e) abutment means alongside the down pipe and (f) spring means acting between the abutment means and the said flange urging the flange towards the valve body and thus the main valve member against the main valve seat.

2. A closure unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the main valve member is formed with a step intermediate its length which forms said abutment surface at one end which'rests on the step the first spring means acting on the said flange.

3. A closure unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the down pipe is expanded to receive the main valve member.

4. A closure unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein the abutment means comprises a cup member fixed relative to the valve body, the base of the cup constituting an abutment for the spring means.

5. A closure unit as claimed in claim 4 wherein the valve body and cup are provided with flanges which cooperate to secure the cup to the first member.

6. A closure unit as claimed in claim 4 wherein the first member and cup are provided with co-operating projections and slots whereby the cup may be secured to the first member.

7. The combination of a container having an opening therein with a closure unit as claimed in claim 1 in the opening.

8. The combination as claimed in claim 7 further comprising inter-engaging means whereby the said closure unit can be releasably secured to the container, and locking means engaging the said closure unit to prevent the latter from so moving as to disengage the said inter-engaging means.

9. The combination as claimed in claim 8 wherein the locking means comprises a locking member connected to the container and engaging the said closure unit so as to prevent movement of the closure unit as aforesaid.

10. The combination as claimed in claim 9 wherein the locking member is provided with spring tongues which abut projections on the closure unit to prevent movement thereof as aforesaid.

11. A closure unit for a container comprising:

(a) a main valve body having a main passage therethrough and a main valve seat around the main passage,

(b) a main valve member seating on the main valve seat, the said main valve member having an abutment surface remote from the main valve, a peripheral groove, and also having a conduit therethrough and a valve seating around the conduit,

(c) a secondary valve member resiliently urged against the valve seat,

(d) a hollow down pipe for extending a suitable distance into the container, the said down pipe releasably receiving the main valve member and being pro vided with a flange abutting the abutment surface,

(e) a sealing device seating in the groove providing a seal between the main valve member and the down (f) abutment means alongside the down pipe and (g) spring means acting between the abutment means and the said flange urging the flange towards the valve body and thus the main valve member against the main valve seat.

12. A closure unit for a container comprising:

(a) a main valve body having a main passage therethrough and a main valve seat around the main passage,

(b) a main valve member seating on the main valve seat, the said main valve member having an abutment surface remote from the main valve, and also having a conduit therethrough and a valve seating around the conduit,

(c) a secondary valve member seating against the valve seat,

(d) a hollow down pipe for extending a substantial distance into the container, the said down pipe sealably but releasably receiving the main valve member and being provided with a flange abutting the abutment surface and, at a location spaced from the main valve member, with an abutment,

(e) abutment means alongside the down pipe,

(1) first spring means acting between the abutment means and the said flange urging the flange towards the valve body and thus the main valve member against the main valve seat and (g) second spring means weaker than the first spring means, said second spring means acting between the abutment and the secondary valve member.

13. A closure unit for a container comprising:

(a) a main valve body having a main passage therethrough and a main valve seat around the main passage,

(b) a main valve member seating on the main valve seat, the said main valve member having an abutment surface remote from the main valve, and also having a conduit therethrough and a valve seating around the conduit,

(0) a secondary valve member seating on the valve seat, said secondary valve member being in the form of a lift valve having a short stub on the side thereof remote from the valve seat,

(d) a hollow down pipe for extending a substantial distance into the container, the said down pipe sealably but releasably receiving the main valve member and being provided with a flange abutting the abutment surface and at a location spaced from the main valve member, with an abutment,

(e) abutment means alongside the down pipe,

(f) first spring means acting between the abutment means and the said flange urging the flange towards the valve body and thus the main valve member against the main valve seat, and

(g) second spring means in the form of a coil spring which is weaker than the first spring means, one end of the coil spring acting on the abutment and the other end of the coil spring acting on the said side of the secondary valve member and receiving the stub.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A CLOSURE UNIT FOR A CONTAINER COMPRISING: (A) A MAIN VALVE BODY HAVING A MAIN PASSAGE THERETHROUGH AND A MAIN VALVE SEAT AROUND THE MAIN PASSAGE, (B) A MAIN VALVE MEMBER SEATING ON THE MAIN VALVE SEAT, THE SAID MAIN VALVE MEMBER HAVING AN ABUTMENT SURFACE REMOTE FROM THE MAIN VALVE, AND ALSO HAVING A CONDUIT THERETHOUGH AND A VALVE SEATING AROUND THE CONDUIT, (C) A SECONDARY VALVE MEMBER RESILIENTLY URGED AGAINST THE VALVE SEAT, (D) A HOLLOW DOWN PIPE FOR EXTENDING A SUITABLE DISTANCE INTO THE CONTAINER, THE SAID DOWN PIPE SEALABLY BUT RELEASABLY RECEIVING THE MAIN VALVE MEMBER AND BEING PROVIDED WITH A FLANGE ABUTTING THE ABUTMENT SURFACE, 